As the calendar flips from July to August, the summertime heat is as present as ever. But, so are the multitude of community events happening throughout Long Beach.
Residents can converse with creative people at Long Beach Forward’s Arts & Activism Mixer Friday evening, as well as the “¡MMM PUES!” and Arte Sana art shows, both happening Saturday afternoon. The following day, those who want to test out their own artistic skills can pick up a pencil for Downtown Draws at the Long Beach Museum of Art.
Across the city’s parks there’s plenty of free concerts, performances and film screenings, including Saturday’s Uptown Jazz Festival at Houghton Park. Additional free events include Long Beach Shakespeare Company’s “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” at Bixby Park and the final show of the season for the Long Beach Municipal Band at El Dorado Park West, both on Friday.
Friday 7/31
Long Beach Food Scene Week: Various Times. Explore discounts, prix-fixe menus, limited-time dishes and more through this 10-day celebration of Long Beach’s culinary footprint. The 106 participating eateries stretch from North Long Beach to the waterfront and all across the city. For more details, visit lbfoodsceneweek.com. Prices Vary.
Fantasy Faire: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Explore a fantastical three-day festival beginning Friday at El Dorado Frontier (7550 E. Spring St.). The event will feature artisan vendors, live music, games, photo ops, costumed performers, character meetups and more. The Fantasy Faire will continue Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free for ages 13 and under and $17-$22 for adults.
Arts & Activism Mixer: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Long Beach Forward invites all to converse with local artists, creatives and community organizers working toward a better world at the Youth Movement & Education Center (2217 E. Sixth St.). Food and refreshments will be provided, and there will be live poetry readings as well as a mural unveiling. Free.
Garden Gossip Bingo: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Try your luck at plant bingo during this fun and informative game night at Let’s Yolk About It (4722 E. Second St.). Participants will enjoy at least eight rounds of bingo, meet other plant lovers and get the chance to win lovely houseplants. Pre-registration is $30 through Venmo (@Bonnie-Gasior) or Zelle (gardengossip@yahoo.com), and $35 the day of.
‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)’: 6:30 p.m. Long Beach Shakespeare Company will present a theatrical mash-up of nearly all of the Bard’s plays via an outdoor performance at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave.). Attendees are welcome to bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnic refreshments. This production is recommended for audiences ages 10 and over. Free.
Long Beach Municipal Band: 6:30 p.m. The city’s oldest community band will conclude its 117th season with a night of pop and rock throwbacks from the ‘60s and ‘70s at El Dorado Park West (2800 Studebaker Road). “Legends of Vinyl: The Bands That Defined An Era” will feature legendary hits by The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin and more. Blankets, chairs, snacks and picnic-style dinners are all encouraged. Free.
Saturday 8/1
Nature Walk: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Enjoy a morning stroll, organized by Los Cerritos Wetlands Trust, amongst one of the city’s most serene natural habitats. Walkers will be joined by an ecologist who will guide them through the Marketplace Marsh, which houses a wide array of birdlife. Participants will meet at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and First Street in Seal Beach. Email elizabeth@lcwlandtrust.org with any questions or to RSVP. Free.
‘Acquaprofonda’: 12 p.m. & 3 p.m. Families can enjoy an informative opera production from Long Beach Opera’s Education team in the Honda Pacific Visions Theater at Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way). Before and after each show, attendees can check out activity sessions with photo opportunities, art-making, a performer Q&A and more. This production is suited for children ages 7 and up. Performances will repeat at the same time this Sunday and on Aug. 8 & 9. RSVP online. Free.
Uptown Jazz Festival: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy a family-friendly afternoon filled with jazz at Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.). The 15th annual edition of the festival will feature a headlining set by Morris Day & The Time, plus performances by Rush Hour Orquestra, Biscuits & Gravy Live and La Verdad. Attendees can also check out community resource booths, a Kids Zone and food vendors. Free.
Arte Sana: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Semillitas Learning Community will celebrate art, music, memory and community at SteelCraft (3768 Long Beach Blvd.). There will be art exhibits created by Semillitas’ youth artists, an artist meet and greet, face painting, live DJs, plus a cumbia dance lesson and performance. This event is family-friendly and pet-friendly. Free.
‘¡MMM PUES!’ Art Show: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Explore local vendors, live music, an interactive community art piece and a gallery packed with new works by local artists during this show, curated by @itsamorcito, at 5321 Long Beach Blvd. Rivera’s Tacos will be on hand serving tacos, quesadillas and mulitas. There is no cover charge, but you must RSVP on Partiful. Free.
Lil Wayne: 8 p.m. Weezy will take over the waterfront during this outdoor concert at the Long Beach Amphitheater (1051 Queens Hwy). Before Lil Wayne takes the stage, the concert will open with performances by rappers 2 Chainz and The Game. Tickets start at $74 online.
Sunday 8/2
Classic Car Show: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sultans Car Club will host its 33rd annual show at Shoreline Aquatic Park (200 Aquarium Way), featuring custom rides, vintage vehicles, live music and food trucks by the coast. Free.
Downtown Draws: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Drop by the Long Beach Museum of Art’s downtown location (356 E. Third St.) for an impromptu drawing session inspired by the art on display. Creative prompts will be provided, and participants are encouraged to bring their gallery-safe materials, such as paper, pencils and colored pencils, or can borrow supplies from the front desk. Free.
Picnic on the Bluff: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shop featured food and drink specials at five participating local locations, then jaunt over to Bluff Park (Ocean Boulevard and Loma Avenue) for Long Beach Food Club’s community hangout. Attendees are invited to eat, listen to music and get to know their neighbors. The featured specials include deals on sandwiches, wraps, iced coffee, handmade gelato and more. Free.
Community Mahjong: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Learn how to play 16-tile Pinoy-style mahjong during this gaming session for all skill levels at Sports Basement (2100 N. Bellflower Blvd.). Free.
Monday 8/3
‘Goat’: 6 p.m. Movies in the Park continues into August with the animated children’s film “Goat,” a comedy about a small goat’s unlikely path to sports superstardom, at Stearns Park (4520 E. 23rd St.). Families are welcome to bring lawn chairs and picnic-style dinners and enjoy movie-themed crafts, a bounce house and nightly raffle drawings (one ticket per family). Recreation activities begin at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at dusk. Free.
Movies on the Mary: 6:30 p.m. Take in a night of cinematic nostalgia aboard the Queen Mary (1126 Queens Hwy) during this screening of the Disney Channel original movie “High School Musical 2.” The film will be shown in the ship’s private theater and moviegoers can purchase popcorn and refreshments until 30 minutes after the film begins. Tickets are $16 on the ship’s website.
Tuesday 8/4
Summer at the Shell: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Groove to ‘80s covers from local band Knyght Rider during this community concert at the Recreation Park Bandshell (701-939 Federation Drive). The venue will host concerts every Tuesday evening through Aug. 25 as part of the Summer at the Shell series. Free.
Moonlight Movies on the Beach: 8 p.m. Softball and sisterhood are the themes of “A League of Their Own,” this week’s film selection at Granada Beach (5000 E. Ocean Blvd). The screening will begin at sunset (between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.). There will be food trucks and a kettle corn vendor on-site and attendees are welcome to bring their pets. There will be free parking after 6 p.m., but it is first-come, first-served. Free.
Wednesday 8/5
Long Beach Community Table: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Those in need of groceries, clothes, books and hygiene products can stop by this weekly distribution event at 151 W. Victoria St. To donate to Long Beach Community Table, visit https://bit.ly/give-lbct. Free.
FY 2027 Community Budget Meeting: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Learn more about Long Beach’s fiscal year 2027 budget and directly participate in the process through this virtual webinar over Zoom. Additional community meetings will be held in-person on Aug. 6, 8, 10 and 13. Register here. Free.
‘Goat’: 6:30 p.m. Movies in the Park continues into August with the animated children’s film “Goat,” a comedy about a small goat’s unlikely path to sports superstardom, at Silverado Park (1545 W. 31st St.). Families are welcome to bring lawn chairs and picnic-style dinners and enjoy movie-themed crafts, a bounce house and nightly raffle drawings (one ticket per family). Recreation activities begin at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at dusk. Free.
Thursday 8/6
Gender Affirming Clothing Closet: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach (2017 E. Fourth St.) will host a Gender Affirming clothing closet event, providing the transgender, nonbinary and gender-expressive communities with access to clothing and accessories that help them feel comfortable, confident and more like themselves at no cost. Free.
Instrument Petting Zoo: 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Explore how professional Long Beach Symphony musicians make music and then try your hand at playing different instruments at the Billy Jean King Library (200 W. Broadway) courtesy of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra. No registration is required, but space is limited. Free.
Sips & Stories: Women in Mexican Art History: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave.) offers a four-part lecture series led by Dr. Megan Lorraine Debin, an art historian and professor of art history at Fullerton College. Sips & Stories: Women in Mexican Art History explores the power, creativity and resilience of women artists and thinkers in Mexico throughout history. Tickets are $45 for single-event and $160 for series tickets. Tickets can be purchased here.
El Dorado Nature Center Concert: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The El Dorado Nature Center Summer Concert Series offers an evening of live music in a beautiful lakeside setting with rock-and-roll band McDermott and Western Bop. Admission is $5 per person at the door (cash, card or smart pay available).
Beachside Beats Vibes: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Get ready to groove seaside all summer long at 2nd & PCH (6400 Pacific Coast Hwy) with Beachside Beats Vibes. Bring your lounge chairs and bask in the fun. Browndition will perform family-friendly 2000s pop & R&B. RSVP here. Free.
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